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Opinion: Guest Opinions

Alana Wilson: A testament to the power of community

By Alana Wilson

Posted:
09/17/2016 07:40:40 PM MDT

Attention Homes has provided invaluable services to vulnerable youth in Boulder for half a century. Their proposed three-story, 40-unit mixed-use apartment building at 15th and Pine, undertaken with the support of First United Methodist Church's congregation, is a powerful contribution to supporting the stability and success of youth in transition. Attention Homes brings deep knowledge to this work and deserves the trust of our community that they will responsibly manage the property and its services. Their successful shelter/housing programs in north Boulder and Martin Acres offer track records that underscore my confidence.

As a fifth-year resident of the Chrysalis Co-op, a block east of the proposed apartments, I strongly support the creation of this transitional housing in my neighborhood. The density and height of the building as it's designed are appropriate for a site zoned as high density (RH-2), located two blocks from the Transit Center. Our mixed-use neighborhood can offer the benefit of creating permanently affordable housing where a parking lot (a rather bland patch in the city fabric) currently exists.

Having worked with youth in transition, I've seen firsthand the benefits of providing housing in close proximity to jobs — it eliminates the barrier of transportation and makes employment accessible. Downtown is a hub for Boulder's service industry, jobs often filled by young people. The site's proximity to all of Boulder's bus routes makes the entire city reachable for residents of my neighborhood, even those of us who don't have cars.

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The characterization of the area by some as a "residential" neighborhood is misleading. There are already building heights, sizes, and property setbacks that span the range of what is proposed. My own block, further from the Broadway transit corridor, has businesses and six multi-unit housing properties, several of them three stories. The churches on either side of the site and the house catty-corner all rival or exceed the proposed height. The by-right zoning allows both the three-story height and the consolidation of density.

Regarding setback exemptions, next door to me eTown Hall has no setback on its alley side, neither do Lucile's or Boulder County Aids Project on the FUMC block. Most existing alley setbacks are used exclusively for parking — an amenity not necessary for a building with underground spaces to replace the existing surface lot.

First-floor office space for Attention Homes and future retail space are both assets for our neighborhood. Allowing Attention Homes to co-locate their offices with the apartments is strategic oversight of the housing program. A future café or business would be a welcome opportunity for neighbors to interact with the space and perhaps its residents, in addition to adding a bit of vibrancy on a corner currently devoid of it.

While some neighbors take issue with the project, there are many of us who support it. It is important to note that Whittier does not have a functioning neighborhood association, and that the number of people voicing an opinion at all is a small proportion of individuals who call Whittier home.

There is discrimination that pervades opposition statements. The accusation that money (and by inference, greed) is the driving motive for this endeavor is sad and inaccurate. Of course the numbers for financing have to work — that does not negate the compassion that led to this innovative partnership between a nonprofit and a church family in order to serve a vulnerable population. The "not in my backyard" attitude says to this demographic that they are inferior, not worthy of our community's acceptance.

Without a doubt, Attention Homes and the people of FUMC aim to fill a currently unmet gap in the lives of youth aging out of foster care, escaping abuse, and figuring out how to live independently. Many of these youth have not had the blessings of strong family and economic stability that myself and many of my neighbors take for granted. There will be challenges, but I look forward to hearing stories of success for decades to come.

Ultimately, it is the church's prerogative to determine the fate of their property. I am profoundly grateful that Attention Homes has identified unmet needs of the youth they serve, created a plan for housing as part of the solution, and that FUMC's congregation as part of their mission of service wants to partner in manifesting the plan. This collaboration between Attention Homes and the church is a beautiful testament to the power of a community when it unites to make positive differences in people's lives.

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